May 2020 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

awesome flare tip shave and pic Tim.happy sunday..

 

Could also be gopher...

 

Thank you, Gary! Have a great Sunday

 

Mixing together 2 Stoylins, eh? Wonder what Doc Ezlovan would say to that.

 

What's Doc Chase saying here, "Oh for 83"?

 

Great shave Tim! I like your Semogue boar.

 

Heretical, I'm sure. But that's how I roll in Mixed Up May

 

SOTD SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2020

The Gem MMOC (Micromatic Open Comb) was the first mainstream TTO (Twist To Open) production model released to the American public around 1930, as our own very able working razor historian, @jmudrick, pointed out in a Gem thread on another Razor forum. The attached ad is one he dug up indicating that it was already available in 1930. This may indicate the late 1920s (‘28 or ‘29) as the time of introduction by ASR (American Safety Razor corporation). The $1 price in 1930 would be worth approximately 15$ ($14.94) in 2020 dollars.

The one issue that arises with this razor is that there are no drains in the baseplate other than the OC teeth. Thus, it is easily clogged if not rinsed after every few strokes. This, of course, led to the introduction of the Gem MMCP (Micromatic Clog Pruf) a few years later to remedy the problem. The MMCP is essentially the same razor with a safety bar and two good sized lather drains in the baseplate. Unfortunately for the ASR, Gillette introduced their own TTO DE design 3 years after the MMOC, which had no drainage issues and provided two cutting edges reducing the need to rinse as frequently.

Despite its design failings, the MMOC is a great shaver for me! Being a bit OCD helps, as far as frequent rinsing goes. I loaded a fresh Pella SS PTFE blade for today’s shave. The shave cream is again Nancy Boy enhanced with the usual 6 drops of M-Bomb. The lather application tool today was the Jayaruh Custom Rosewood Silvertip Badger Brush #378. Software included Thayers WH, Krampert’s Frostbite AS Splash and A&E Post-Shave Serum. The shave was every bit as good as my Last three shaves with the Eveready Streamline, Brass Gem Model 1912 and My Gem G-Bar shave yesterday. Gems just work for me. There were no clogging issues with the razor thanks to my OCD. The result was another two pass VBSS. Tomorrow the shave will be with my Gem MMCP.

RAZOR: Gem MMOC
BLADE: Pella SS PTFE GEM
PREP: Cold water rinse
BRUSH: Jayaruh Custom Rosewood Silvertip Badger #378
CREAM: Nancy Boy Signature w/ 6 drops of M-Bomb added
POSTSHAVE: Cold water wash with Glyce Glycerin soap followed by Thayers Lavender WH and Krampert’s Frostbite AS Splash. Finished with A&E Post-Shave Serum.

 

Thank you, Joe--the Semogue is nicely broken in. Super soft, but lots of backbone. Great brush

 

Awesome report and info on an equally awesome razor, Jeff--the MMOC is a fantastic GEM shaver, and yours is looking nice!

 

awesome shave,pic and report Jeff,good afternoon..

 

Thanks, Gary! Good afternoon!

 

Thanks, Tim!

 

Thank you, Joe.

 

Good feedback on the blades, Jason. I have had a tuck of Merkur blades forever just staring at me.

 

Thank you, Patrick.

 

Thanks, Jason. As of 2014, it was very popular. You could get (and I did) two bottles, shipped from Europe for about $25. I did this twice. I traded one bottle for the Asylum Colonia, which, if memory serves, you are currently enjoying. The pictured bottled still has two backups and I am NOT trading them for another soap

 

Yes, indeedy Tim. Thank you.